NEW YORK -- A Siena College Research Institute poll found that 89% of New Yorkers say that government corruption is somewhat or very serious, and almost half (49 percent) are less likely to re-elect their current representative because of it. Sixty percent support a ban on outside employment by members of the Legislature.

Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/NY, called the poll results "overwhelming."

"New Yorkers are so disgusted with their elected officials that half are ready to make a clean sweep of them," she said. "The good news is that lawmakers can take decisive action to regain their trust by implementing the reforms of the Clean Conscience pledge: close the LLC loophole, ban/limit outside income, and increase transparency in discretionary funding. Two juries, and now a majority of voters, have made clear that the status quo in Albany is unacceptable."

In January, Common Cause/NY, Citizens Union, and NYPIRG unveiled the Clean Conscience Pledge urging all 213 members of the Legislature, plus the Governor, to sign on. To date, 24 lawmakers have signed the pledge.